1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of ionic compounds, as a novel class of pyridinium-based cations (aminopyridinium and piperidino-pyridinium cations) and ionic compounds containing the pyridinium-based cations are provided. The invention also relates to the field of improved heat transfer preparations, solvents, lubricants, and compositions containing them, suitable for use in high temperature applications.
2. Related Art
Ionic liquids (ILs) are organic salts with low melting points. Many of these compounds are liquid at room temperature in their pure state. These ILs act much like good organic solvents, dissolving both polar and nonpolar species.2 They have also been reported to perform better than at least some commonly used solvents.3 
Ionic liquids have also been defined as molten salts, having a melting point below 100° C.4 By way of example, ILs include the quaternary imidazolium salts, compounds having quaternary aromatic 5- and 6-membered ring heterocycles such as imidazolium salts, pyridinium salts, and the like.5 
Ionic liquids (ILs), while being liquid in their pure state at room temperature, have negligible vapor pressure.1 Because they have negligible vapor pressure, this class of substances would not contribute to air pollution, and would not contribute to the generation of potentially toxic and/or harmful emissions when used as a solvent, etc., in industrial and commercial applications. Thus, they present an advantage over other types of liquids, particularly solvents that do generate fugitive emissions. This characteristic has made ILs an attractive alternative as a solvent for commercial manufacturing processes.
Conventional solvents and heat transfer fluids have boiling points at or below 320° C., and are therefore not useful at temperatures at or exceeding this temperature. The flash point and fire point of many conventional heat transfer fluids are generally much lower than 320° C. In contrast, ionic liquids do not evaporate, and therefore the flash point of these compounds is essentially the same temperature as their decomposition temperatures.
For these reasons, among others, ionic liquids are being intensively investigated for a variety of applications, including as solvents for reactions and separations, as non-volatile electrolytes, and as heat transfer fluids.
While possessing many characteristics that render these compounds suitable for uses that are efficient and more environmentally compatible (such as in chemical processing), they have not found widespread use. A need continues to exist in the art for a class of ionic liquids having a wider range of temperature stability, particularly a wider upper range of temperature stability, without sacrificing a functional and extended lower liquids range.
The increasing demands of industry creates a continuing need for ever improved and long-lasting, stable lubricants, solvents and heat transfer fluids capable of withstanding temperatures of 300° C. or higher for extended periods of time, sometimes under highly pressurized conditions. While currently available ionic liquids posses some characteristics that render them interesting for development in these industries, they have not as yet been optimized sufficiently to meet the demands of current day high temperature application needs.